Sharon Firth
Country Canada
Born (1953-12-31) December 31, 1953
Aklavik, Northwest Territories, Canada
World Cup career
Seasons3 – (1982–1984)
Indiv. podiums0
Indiv. starts12
Team starts0
Overall titles0 – (29th in 1982)

Sharon Firth CM ONWT (born 31 December 1953) is a Canadian former cross-country skier who competed in the Winter Olympics in 1972, 1976, 1980 and 1984.[1] Firth's mother was Gwich'in and her father was Métis. She and her sister grew up in the Gwich'in First Nation.[2]

She is the twin sister of fellow ski team member Shirley Firth. They became the first indigenous women to be inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.[3][4][5] Firth received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award in the sports category in 2005.[6] Sharon Firth also received the John Semmelink Memorial Award in 1972, the Commissioner’s Award in 1981, the Order of Canada in 1987, and the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.[7] In 1990, Firth was inducted into the Canadian Ski Museum and Skiing Hall of Fame.[7] She was inducted into the NWT Sport Hall of Fame in 2012.[8]

From 1968 to 1985, Sharon and Shirley Firth were both members of Canada’s national cross-country team.[9] They were the first female Indigenous athletes to compete for Canada in the Winter Olympic Games.[10] The twins obtained a total of 79 medals at the national championships.[9]

Training

Sharon and Shirley Firth participated in the fledgling Territorial Experimental Ski Training (TEST) Program, established by Father Jean Marie Mouchet and funding from Pierre Trudeau's Federal Government in 1965.[11] The program began in Old Crow, Yukon, and eventually expanded to include Inuvik, run out of Groller Hall Residential School, where the sisters attended school.[12]

"They didn't have an easy upbringing and were very timid when they first came. Of all the skiers I had they were the most competitive and determined. In Inuvik we often skied at forty-five below zero; their lungs were used to cold weather." - Coach Bjorger Pettersen[13]

Life after skiing

Following Sharon Firth’s cross-country skiing career, she moved to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.[14] Firth worked for the government of the Northwest Territories and became a Youth Program Advisor.[14]

Honours

Firth was awarded an honorary doctorate of laws from the University of Alberta in 2017 with the help from Patrick Reid.[15] She was made a member of the Order of the Northwest Territories in 2018.[16] She was awarded the Member of the Order of Canada (CM) as per the Canada Gazette of 26 December 1987.[17]

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[18]

Olympic Games

 Year   Age   5 km   10 km   20 km   3/4 × 5 km 
 relay 
1972202624—10
1976242928—7
19802835———
198428292921—

World Championships

 Year   Age   5 km   10 km   20 km   4 × 5 km 
 relay 
198228——18—

World Cup

Season standings

 Season   Age  Overall
19822829
19832935
19843045

References

  1. ↑ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Sharon Firth". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  2. ↑ Maggs, Sam (2018). Girl Squads: 20 Female Friendships that Changed History. Philadelphia: Quirk Books. pp. 27, 31. ISBN 978-1-68369-072-6.
  3. ↑ "Canada's Sports Hall of Fame | Stories". www.sportshall.ca. Retrieved 2017-11-01.
  4. ↑ "First indigenous women inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame". As it happens. CBC Radio. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  5. ↑ "Canadian History and Society Through the Lens of Sport". February 2017.
  6. ↑ Andrews Miller, Heather. "Sharon Firth; Cross-country, then around the world". Aboriginal Multi-Media Society. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  7. 1 2 "Indspire | Sharon Anne Firth". indspire.ca. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
  8. ↑ "Sharon Firth". NWT Sport Hall of Fame. 2012-01-01. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  9. 1 2 "Sharon Firth - Canadian Ski Museum". www.skimuseum.ca. Canadian Ski Museum. Retrieved 2018-03-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  10. ↑ "Cross Country Canada - Sharon and Shirley Firth enter Canada's Sports Hall of Fame". www.cccski.com. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  11. ↑ "Shirley and Sharon Firth | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  12. ↑ Maggs, Sam (2018). Girl squads : 20 female friendships that changed history. Philadelphia: Quirk Books. p. 31. ISBN 978-1683690726. OCLC 1019636771.
  13. ↑ Maggs, Sam, author. (2 October 2018). Girl squads : 20 female friendships that changed history. p. 31. ISBN 978-1683690726. OCLC 1019636771. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. 1 2 Marshall, Tabitha. "Shirley and Sharon Firth". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
  15. ↑ "U of A awards honorary doctorate to Canadian skiing legend". CBC News. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  16. ↑ https://www.assembly.gov.nt.ca/sites/default/files/images/onwt_2018_biographies.pdf
  17. ↑ Canada Gazette 26 December 1987
  18. ↑ "FIRTH Sharon". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
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